Meredith says that curry is somewhat of a mystery to her.

I was browning some chicken with an uncertain future tonight, and asked her how she’d like it. Lemon pepper? Garlic? Sauced? We decided on curry, and I showed her a simple, basic curry, full of deep, smoky flavor and the tang of tomato sauce, made from pantry items.

Quick Tomato Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup curry powder*
• 4 cups tomato sauce

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add curry powder; stir to coat. Cook until highly fragrant. Add tomato sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked and tender and sauce has reduced. Serve over rice or cous cous; garnish with yogurt if desired.

*I use my own mild homemade curry powder. There are plenty of recipes on the internet for mild to hotter varieties. Whether you use your own or a store-bought variety, I’d recommend tailoring the quantity to your taste.

Tip: If you prefer to use store-bought curry, seek out your local ethnic market, where you can find fresher, less expensive curry powder than what you’ll find in your supermarket’s spice rack.

I am a dyed-in-the-wool meat eater, but I have a firm place in my heart for a well-made veggie burger.  I’m also a cheapskate and a tightwad, and can’t abide paying the price of boxed veggie burger mixes or pre-made frozen patties.  I am above all else resourceful, so I can make my own.

Veggie Burger Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups each dry (uncooked) chick peas, lentils, brown rice, soybeans, split peas, and rolled oats
• 3/4 cup each bread crumbs and cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons each baking soda, vegetable broth powder, onion powder, powdered dried mushrooms, and garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2/3 cup flavorful liquid (vegetable stock, tomato juice, clear soup, etc.) per serving

Pulse all ingredients (except liquid)  in a blender or food processor until mixture is completely powdered.  Store in a zip-top bag in the freezer until ready to use.

When ready to use, combine 1 cup dry mix with 2/3 cup boiling liquid.  Stir and let stand for 15 minutes.  Form into patties and cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat until burgers are cooked through and outside is crispy.

A 1-cup recipe makes 4 patties; the entire batch makes 48 patties.

Note: For softer burgers, or to stretch the recipe, reduce liquid to 1/2 cup and stir in 1/2 cup silken tofu after the mixture has rehydrated.  Add a few drops of soy sauce and a pinch of ginger with the tofu for an extra kick.

This recipe originally appeared on my personal blog in October 2004.

Image by Sierraromeo via Flickr.

I’ve been asked a number of times over the years about scaling down recipes to serve one person. I’ve recently uncovered notes on recipes I used when I was single and lived alone, and I’ll post them here from time to time.

This recipe uses canned mushrooms rather than fresh, because I found that it was easier for me to keep canned veggies in the house. Sliced, cooked fresh mushrooms would work just as well here. This curry stands well on its own, but is equally yummy over green beans, sliced potatoes, rice, or pasta.

Mushroom Tomato Curry for One

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• pinch each of cumin, black pepper, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, ground ginger, ground cardamom, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder
• 1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups canned sliced button mushrooms

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mushrooms. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Serves 1.